Security camera with tape indicator

ABSTRACT

A magazine-type camera has a drive mechanism including a clutch assembly interposed between the takeup reel in the magazine and the drive motor. The film is guided past a lens opening in the magazine by means of three sprockets with a film counter being actuated by one sprocket and a film exhaustion indicator being actuated by an edge of the film passing between the other two sprockets.

PATENTEDmesmz 3537300 SHEET 10F 5 Q INVENTOR WILLIAM H- EACHO mm 4 m aw m TTOR PATENTEU JAN25 I972 SHEET 2 BF 5 INVENTOR I ILLIA I H. EACHO PATENTED mas-m2 SHEET 3 BF 5' INVENTOR IILLIAI ll- EACIIO ATTOI2%YS PATENTED JANZS i872 SHEEI t 0F 5.

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INVENTOR I l LLIAI l'l. EACHO ATTOR NEYJ 1 SECURITY CAMERA WITII TAPE INDICATOR SPECIFICATION Cameras have been constructed for the specific function of taking sequential photographs of fixed areas at spaced intervals of time in commercial, industrial and medical operations. Such cameras have been used .as security devices in banks, stores and other commercial establishments to deter the commission of crimes and to assist in the identification of any individuals who might commit a crime. These cameras generally take pictures at spaced intervals of time, but when an emergency situation exists, an operator may actuate a button to cause the camera to take pictures continuously. Such a situation may arise when a robbery is being committed in a store, bank or other such establishment. Such cameras must not only be reliable in operation but must be equipped with devices to indicate accurately to the operator the amount of film remaining in the camera and the precise time that the film becomes exhausted. Such accurate indicators are necessary to enable the operator to replace the used filmso that the camera may be in virtually continuous operation. While various forms of devices for indicating the quantity of film used and for indicating when the film has become exhausted have been devised, such devices have not been completely satisfactory since they were either complicated in structure or required continuous attention in order to insure that they operated properly.'

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved photographic apparatus for taking sequential or continuous photographs.

Another of the objects of the present invention is to provide a security camera having improved devices for indicating the quantity of film used and for indicating precisely when the end of the film has been reached.-

According to one aspect of the invention, a security camera for taking sequential and continuous photographs may comprise a casing having a rotating shutter mechanism therein. The film ,is loaded into the'camera by means of a film magazine provided with a takeup reel and having an opening therein registering with the shutter mechanism. Also within the film magazine is means for guiding the film past the opening with the guiding means comprising first and second sprocket gears positioned on both sides of the opening and a third drive sprocket on the takeup reel side. Within the casing is provided a drive mechanism including a drive motor which is operatively connected to the shutter mechanism and to the driven sprocket when the magazine is positioned within the casing. The drive mechanism includes a takeup clutch assembly. Means may be provided within the magazine for indicating the end of the film and for counting the number of pictures taken on the film. The indicating means for the end of the film may comprise an arm urged against an edge of the film and movable when the end of the film is reached to actuate a suitable indicating device. The film-counting means may comprise a switch element biased against projections or means formed on a cam or wheel and spaced to correspond to the frames of the film so that the switch element is actuated once for the passage of each film frame over the sprocket. The switch element is connected to a suitable counter.

. Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying description and drawings, which are merely exemplary.

, In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a security camera according to the present invention and mounted in operating with a portion of the magazine wall cut away; FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 2'

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the top of the case wall showing the connection to the counter;

FIG. 7 -is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 of FIG. 4 and showing a portion of the drive mechanism within the camera; and

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the clutch assembly in the drive mechanism of FIG. 9.

Proceeding next to the drawings wherein like reference bolts-l4 having knurled heads and a lock 15.

The camera preferably is of 'the magazine type, and a film magazine 16 is loaded within the camera through the door 12 and positioned against a partition wall 17 and held in position by means of spring arms 18 secured to the inner face of the door 12.

A driving mechanism forthe camera is mounted within the casing underneath the partition or wall 17 and comprises a motor 19 (FIG. 3) drivingly connected by means ofa belt 19A to a pulley 20. The pulley 20 and other parts of the drive are not shown in FIG. '9 for purposes of clarity. Through a suitable bevel gear drive (not shown), a shutter shaft 22 (FIG. 8) is driven by the drive mechanism from one of the drive shafts and is connected by gears 23 and 24 to a shutter 25, such as in a movie camera, rotatably mounted within a shutter housing 26 provided with a shutter opening 27. A suitable indexing mechanism for rotating the shutter so that a picture is taken approximately every 30 seconds includes a slotted Geneva disk 29. Such an indexing arrangement is known in the art and need not further be described in detail.

The drive as shown in FIG. 9 includes a'second shaft 30 upon which is mounted a spring-actuated friction takeup clutch assembly 31. Clutch assembly 31 comprises a pulley 32 which is drivingly connected by an endless belt 33 to a pulley 34 mounted on shaft 21. The clutch assembly further includes friction disks 35 and 35' which are urged against both sides of pulley 32 by means of friction plates 36 and 36' under the force of compression spring 37. Friction plate 36 is fixedly mounted on shaft 30 by means of a pin or key 38 whereas plate 36' is movable axially on this shaft.

The end of shaft 21 directed toward the magazine is provided with a key 39 and a similar key 40 positioned on the end of shaft 30.

Film magazine 16 comprises a supply roll of movie film 41 which is moved past opening 42 in the magazine to a takeup means 43. Film 44 is driven over sprocket 45, through a friction slide guide assembly 46, around a further sprocket 47 and over a driven sprocket 48 to the takeup means 43. The driven sprocket 48 is provided with a diametrical slot 49 which receives key 39 of the drive mechanism and is driven thereby. In a similar manner, the takeup means is provided with a diametrical slot 50 which receives key 40 and is driven by the drive mechanism through the takeup clutch assembly 31.

A film-counting device is indicated generally at SI, as may be seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, and comprises the biased roller arm 52 of switch S3. Roller arm 52 is actuated by the radial ribs or lobes 54 formed on lobed cam 54A. Ribs 54 are spaced to correspond with the frames on the film so that whenever a rib passes roller arm 52, a frame will be registered by a suitable counter. Sprocket 45 has key slot 45A. Spring pressed cup has projections '71. Spring 72 urges the cup into engagement with the sprocket 45 so as to be turned thereby as film passes.

A device to indicate the end or exhaustion of film 44 is indicated generally at 60 in FIG. 3 and shown in greater detail in FIG. 7. The film indicator comprises a bent arm 61 having an end 62 slidably mounted in a bore 63 formed in the wall of magazine 16. Partition wall 17 is provided with a slidably mounted pin 64 which bears against the end 62 and is spring biased toward the arm by means of the actuating arm 65 of indicator switch 66. A lower portion of arm 61 is indicated at 67 which engages an edge of film 44 as long as there is a supply of film in the magazine. When the end of the film passes arm 67, the arm will move toward the left in the direction indicated by arrow 68 under the action of actuating arm 65. When arm 65 is permitted to move, switch 66 will be actuated and may be incorporated in a control circuit to indicate to an operator that the end of the film has passed.

Both the indicator 66 and the film counter 55 may be incorporated in asuitable control circuit. The control circuit may be such that the camera shuts itself off when the film is exhausted and lights an indicator bulb. The photo counter operates only when the film is moving and shows the exact number of pictures taken on each camera. The control circuit may provide for adjusting the rate at which photographs are taken so as to vary from about one photo per second to one photo every minute. Under emergency conditions, the photo rate may be increased to about three photos per second.

Thus, it can be seen that the present invention has disclosed a security camera having an improved film exhaustion indicator and an improved film counter which will accurately record the number of photographs taken on the camera. The camera is further provided with an improved takeup clutch assembly to eliminate any sudden tensions being imposed upon the film as it is being wound.

It will be understood that various details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An identification photographic apparatus for taking sequential and continuous pictures, comprising a casing having a shutter mechanism therein, a film magazine having a takeup means and an opening for registration with said shutter mechanism and means for guiding film past said opening, said guiding means comprising first and second sprockets on both sides of the opening and a third drive sprocket on the takeup means side, a drive mechanism in said casing including a drive motor and operatively connected to the drive sprocket when the magazine is positioned within the casing, said drive mechanism including a takeup clutch assembly, means engaging the film within said magazine for indicating the end of the film, and means responsive to a sprocket within said magazine for counting the number of pictures taken on the film.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism is operatively connected to said takeup means when the magazine is positioned within the casing, said clutch assembly being between said drive motor and the takeup means.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said clutch assembly comprises spring-biased friction disks.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said clutch assembly further comprises a shaft for operative connection to said takeup means, a pulley on said shaft, friction disks and plates on both sides of said pulley, spring means urging said disks against said pulley. a second shaft for connection to the drive motor and having a second pulley thereon, and a drivebelt connecting said pulleys in operative relationship.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim I wherein said film-indicating means comprises an arm slidably mounted within said magazine and engageable with an edge of the film, one end of said slidable arm protruding from said magazine, switch means operable by said arm protruding end when the arm moves inwardly after the film is exhausted.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said switch means has an actuating arm spring biased against a protruding end of said slidable arm.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said filmcounting means is actuated by said first sprocket.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first sprocket has projection means drivable thereby and spaced to correspond with the frames of the film moving over these sprockets, and an arm urged against said projection means to actuate said film counter means, whereby rotation of the sprocket will actuate said arm corresponding to the number of frames passing thereover.

9. An identification photographic apparatus for taking sequential and continuous pictures, comprising a casing having a shutter mechanism therein, a film magazine having a takeup means and an opening for registration with said shutter mechanism and means for guiding film past said opening, said guiding means comprising first and second sprockets on both sides of the opening and a third drive sprocket on the takeup means side, a drive mechanism in said casing including a drive motor and operatively connected to the drive sprocket when the magazine is positioned within the casing, means engaging the film in said magazine for indicating the end of the film, said film-indicating means comprising a slidable arm mounted within said magazine and engageable with an edge of the film, one end of said slidable arm protruding from said magazine, and switch means operable by said arm protruding end when the arm moves inwardly after the film is exhausted.

10. An identification photographic apparatus for taking sequential and continuous pictures, comprising a casing hav- I ing a shutter mechanism therein, a film magazine having a takeup means and an opening for registration with said shutter mechanism and means for guiding film past said opening, said guiding means comprising first and second sprockets on both sides of the opening and a third drive sprocket on the takeup means side, a drive mechanism in said casing including a drive motor and operatively connected to the drive sprocket when the magazine is positioned within the casing, and means responsive to a sprocket within said magazine for counting the number of pictures taken on the film, said film-counting means being actuated by said first sprocket.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first sprocket has projection means drivable thereby and spaced to correspond with the frames of the film moving over these.

sprockets, and an arm urged against said projection means to actuate said film counter means, whereby rotation of the sprocket will actuate said arm corresponding to the number of frames passing thereover. 

1. An identification photographic apparatus for taking sequential and continuous pictures, comprising a casing having a shutter mechanism therein, a film magazine having a takeup means and an opening for registration with said shutter mechanism and means for guiding film past said opening, said guiding means comprising first and second sprockets on both sides of the opening and a third drive sprocket on the takeup means side, a drive mechanism in said casing including a drive motor and operatively connected to the drive sprocket when the magazine is positioned within the casing, said drive mechanism including a takeup clutch assembly, means engaging the film within said magazine for indicating the end of the film, and means responsive to a sprocket within said magazine for counting the number of pictures taken on the film.
 2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism is operatively connected to said takeup means when the magazine is positioned within the casing, said clutch assembly being between said drive motor and the takeup means.
 3. An apparatus as claimed in claIm 2 wherein said clutch assembly comprises spring-biased friction disks.
 4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein said clutch assembly further comprises a shaft for operative connection to said takeup means, a pulley on said shaft, friction disks and plates on both sides of said pulley, spring means urging said disks against said pulley, a second shaft for connection to the drive motor and having a second pulley thereon, and a drivebelt connecting said pulleys in operative relationship.
 5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-indicating means comprises an arm slidably mounted within said magazine and engageable with an edge of the film, one end of said slidable arm protruding from said magazine, switch means operable by said arm protruding end when the arm moves inwardly after the film is exhausted.
 6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein said switch means has an actuating arm spring biased against a protruding end of said slidable arm.
 7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said film-counting means is actuated by said first sprocket.
 8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first sprocket has projection means drivable thereby and spaced to correspond with the frames of the film moving over these sprockets, and an arm urged against said projection means to actuate said film counter means, whereby rotation of the sprocket will actuate said arm corresponding to the number of frames passing thereover.
 9. An identification photographic apparatus for taking sequential and continuous pictures, comprising a casing having a shutter mechanism therein, a film magazine having a takeup means and an opening for registration with said shutter mechanism and means for guiding film past said opening, said guiding means comprising first and second sprockets on both sides of the opening and a third drive sprocket on the takeup means side, a drive mechanism in said casing including a drive motor and operatively connected to the drive sprocket when the magazine is positioned within the casing, means engaging the film in said magazine for indicating the end of the film, said film-indicating means comprising a slidable arm mounted within said magazine and engageable with an edge of the film, one end of said slidable arm protruding from said magazine, and switch means operable by said arm protruding end when the arm moves inwardly after the film is exhausted.
 10. An identification photographic apparatus for taking sequential and continuous pictures, comprising a casing having a shutter mechanism therein, a film magazine having a takeup means and an opening for registration with said shutter mechanism and means for guiding film past said opening, said guiding means comprising first and second sprockets on both sides of the opening and a third drive sprocket on the takeup means side, a drive mechanism in said casing including a drive motor and operatively connected to the drive sprocket when the magazine is positioned within the casing, and means responsive to a sprocket within said magazine for counting the number of pictures taken on the film, said film-counting means being actuated by said first sprocket.
 11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein said first sprocket has projection means drivable thereby and spaced to correspond with the frames of the film moving over these sprockets, and an arm urged against said projection means to actuate said film counter means, whereby rotation of the sprocket will actuate said arm corresponding to the number of frames passing thereover. 